Systems and methods for enhancing user interaction with displayed information

ABSTRACT

A method of enhancing user interaction with content displayed on a display of a touch screen device is provided. The method includes displaying at least one enhanced cursor within a viewable area of the display, the at least one enhanced cursor having a predefined action associated therewith, and receiving a selection of the at least one enhanced cursor. The method also includes detecting movement of the selected at least one enhance cursor onto displayed content, and executing the predefined action on the content. The method may further include detecting a subject matter of content being displayed on a display of a device coupled to the processor. Furthermore, a non-transitory computer-readable medium storing instructions for execution by a processor that cause the processor to perform the provided method may also be provided.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. patentapplication Ser. No. 14/868,330, filed Sep. 28, 2015, which is acontinuation of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/249,949, filed Sep.30, 2011, now U.S. Pat. No. 9,146,665, which are incorporated herein byreference in its entirety.

BACKGROUND Technical Field

Embodiments disclosed herein are related to systems and methods forenhancing user interaction with online content. In particular,embodiments disclosed herein are related to displaying an enhancedcursor-like content selection area, or “Smart Spot”, that allows usersto automatically execute predefined actions on the selected content.

Related Art

Electronic devices, particularly computers, have become part of thedaily lives of many people such that interfacing with content on acomputer has become as familiar to people as turning the pages of abook. People understand the basic mechanics of selecting items displayedon a screen by moving a cursor to an item to be selected. People alsounderstand that there are certain predefined actions can occur bypressing certain buttons or keys on the selected item. For example, asingle mouse click, such as a left button click, will often select theitem on which the cursor is positioned. A double left click may executea program associated with the item on which the cursor is positioned. Aright mouse button click (or command+click for Macintosh™ users) willopen a menu of possible actions to perform on the item on which thecursor is positioned. These actions have become very familiar to userswhen interacting with desktop and laptop computers, and other devicesthat use human interface devices (HID) such as mice and trackballs.

As electronic devices become smaller and mobile, one of the difficultieshas been trying to replicate the interaction users have become used toon desktop and laptop computers with HIDs such as mice and trackballs.Mobile devices that use a touch screen interface have been able to mimicthe familiar point and click interface from desktop and laptop computerswith a stylus or user finger acting as the “point” and the tapping ofthe screen at a certain location acting as the “click”. However, thismethod of interfacing with content displayed on a screen of a mobiledevice is limited in the actions that can be performed by the act oftapping on the screen. The act of tapping the screen typically selectsthe tapped object, which may then follow a hyperlink or execute anapplication represented by the object. Certain mobile devices includeframework which may bring up a menu of options when the tap is held onthe screen for a predetermined amount of time. However, this is oftenunintuitive to a user and may result in the selection or execution ofthe object being tapped because the user did not hold the tap for thepredetermined amount of time. In addition, navigating the displayedmenus for the desired action takes additional actions and time which canbe burdensome to the user.

Moreover, when viewing content, such as web pages and other contentdisplaying text to the user on a mobile device, it can be difficult toselect or highlight portions of the web page or text. For example, usersare accustomed to be able to easily select portions of text displayed bya desktop or laptop computer by highlighting the text using the HID.Users are used to being able to perform actions on the selected text,such as cut and paste. On a mobile device having a touch screen, thefunctionality for selecting text or other portions of the displayed webpage are not intuitive and can be difficult, particularly on mobiledevices having a very small display area, such as a mobile phone.Moreover, once the text or other portions of the displayed web page areselected, the actions that can be performed on the selection are limitedto copy and paste functionality.

Similarly, when browsing the internet using a mobile device, users mayhave difficulty in selecting a hyperlink or anchor on a displayed webpage. This is particularly true if the mobile device has a small displayarea, such as on a mobile phone. When numerous anchors or hyperlinks aredisplayed by the mobile device, a user often accidentally selects theunintended anchor or hyperlink, which causes the user to have to go backto the previous page and try to select the correct anchor or hyperlinkagain. Or, the user will have to zoom into the displayed webpage toselect the correct anchor or hyperlink and then zoom back out again oncethe desired content is displayed. Despite the many capabilities thatmany modern mobile devices have, users are unable or reluctant to takefull advantage of these capabilities due to issues interacting with thedisplayed information, such as have been described here.

Accordingly, there is a need for a system and method that provides anenhanced user interaction with displayed content, particularly contentdisplayed on mobile devices and touchscreen devices.

SUMMARY

Consistent with some embodiments, there is provided a computer-readablemedium having instructions for execution by a processor that, whenexecuted, cause the processor to perform a method for enhancing userinteraction with displayed content, the method including detecting asubject matter of content being displayed on a display of a devicecoupled to the processor. The method also includes displaying at leastone enhanced cursor within a viewable area of a display, assigningpredefined actions to the at least one enhanced cursor based on thedetected subject matter, and executing the predefined actions when theenhanced cursor is moved onto the content.

Consistent with some embodiments, there is also provided a method ofenhancing user interaction with content displayed on a display of atouch screen device. The method includes displaying, on the display ofthe touch screen device, at least one enhanced cursor within a viewablearea of the display, the at least one enhanced cursor having apredefined action associated therewith, receiving, at a touch screen ofthe touch screen device, a selection of the at least one enhancedcursor. The method also includes detecting, by the touch screen,movement of the selected at least one enhanced cursor onto displayedcontent, and executing, using a processor of the touch screen device,the predefined action on the content.

These and other embodiments will be described in further detail belowwith respect to the following figures.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method for enhancing userinteraction with displayed content, consistent with some embodiments.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the use of an enhanced cursor ondisplayed content, consistent with some embodiments.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of using an enhanced cursoron displayed content, consistent with some embodiments.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of using of an enhancedcursor on displayed content, consistent with some embodiments.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for enhancing userinteraction with displayed content using an enhanced cursor palette,consistent with some embodiments.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the use of an enhanced cursor paletteon displayed content, consistent with some embodiments.

In the drawings, elements having the same designation have the same orsimilar functions.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

In the following description specific details are set forth describingcertain embodiments. It will be apparent, however, to one skilled in theart that the disclosed embodiments may be practiced without some or allof these specific details. The specific embodiments presented are meantto be illustrative, but not limiting. One skilled in the art may realizeother material that, although not specifically described herein, iswithin the scope and spirit of this disclosure.

Embodiments as described herein are related to using a “Smart Spot” orenhanced cursor-like selection area (referred to herein as an enhancedcursor) that allows for one or more predefined actions or a series ofpredefined actions to be executed or performed on displayed content toenhance user interaction. The enhanced cursor may be displayed on adisplay screen also having content displayed thereon. A user can selectthe enhanced cursor, drag the cursor onto content or drag content ontothe cursor, and then the predefined actions associated with the enhancedcursor will be executed on the content. The predefined actions mayinclude an internet search, a text search, copy/paste functionality,buying or bidding on purchasable items, or paying for purchased items.The predefined actions may be facilitated by third-party applicationprogram interfaces (APIs) that perform actions defined by the thirdparty and, in some cases, relate to the third party's business. Thecontent may be a displayed web page, a text document, or a picture. Thepredefined actions may further override any previously defined actionson the content that instituted by the operating system or applicationdisplaying the content. The enhanced cursor may be fully configurableand customizable by a user to perform a specific action or multipleactions or to have a specific user-selected design and appearance. Theenhanced cursor may be used on touch screen devices, such as smartphones and tablet computers such that a user can select the enhancedcursor with their finger, and slide the enhanced cursor onto displayedcontent to perform the defined actions on the displayed content.Alternatively, the enhanced cursor may be used with desktop and laptopcomputers, where a user can select the enhanced cursor with a mouse,trackball, or other human interface device (HID) and move the enhancedcursor onto content to perform the defined actions on the content. Theenhanced cursor may be implemented as instructions stored on acomputer-readable medium that may be executed by a processor, and may beimplemented as an add-on to existing web browser, document editor, orother application functionality, or as a widget running within theoperating system framework. Consistent with the disclosed embodiments,the enhanced cursor enhances user interaction with displayed content byallowing the user to execute or perform predefined actions on contentquickly and easily.

FIG. 1 is a flowchart illustrating a method for enhancing userinteraction with displayed content, consistent with some embodiments. Asshown in FIG. 1, the method begins by enabling the enhanced cursor(102). The enhanced cursor may be a separate program, application or“app”, or a widget, each of which may correspond to instructions storedin a non-transient, tangible memory for execution by a processor.Further the enhanced cursor may be an add-on to the existingfunctionality of a running program, such as a word processor, texteditor, or web browser, such that the enhanced cursor may be selectivelyenabled or disabled by a user. Further, the enhanced cursor may beenabled using JavaScript. After the enhanced cursor has been enabled,the enhanced cursor will be displayed (104). Consistent with someembodiments, the enhanced cursor will be displayed within a viewablearea of the display. Further consistent with some embodiments, theenhanced cursor may be displayed within an area of the display so as notto obscure the displayed content. Alternatively, the enhanced cursor maybe displayed on a “dock” or “toolbar” of the running application or theoperating system to facilitate easy selection by the user withoutobscuring the displayed content.

A user may have the ability to configure the enhanced cursor (106). Amore in-depth configuration of the enhanced cursor will be describedwith respect to FIG. 4, below. Returning to FIG. 1, the user mayconfigure certain properties of the enhanced cursor, such as theappearance, location, and predefined actions of the cursor. Thepredefined actions may include the actions performed by the cursor onselected content and/or actions that an inactive enhanced cursor mayperform. For example, an inactive enhanced cursor may be a clockdisplaying the current time, a thermometer displaying the current localtemperature (or the temperature of a user-selected area), or a trash orrecycling bin such that a user could drag content into the inactiveenhanced cursor to delete selected content. The enhanced cursor may alsoinclude historic information regarding usage of the enhanced cursor,such that a user can view previous actions executed by the enhancedcursor. An inactive enhanced cursor may also be used to provide enhancednavigation of content. For example, the inactive enhanced cursor may beconfigured to always be displayed in an inactive part of the displayedcontent, providing a visual clue for the user where they can touch inthe displayed content without activating any actions. This can be usefulwhen navigating on a device with a small screen and many internethyperlinks. The enhanced cursor could be configured to be displayed in aportion of the small screen where there are no displayed hyperlinks,such that the user knows that it is a “safe” spot to touch the screenand navigate the page without activating a hyperlink to a differentpage.

The user may next select the enhanced cursor (108). The enhanced cursormay be selected using a finger or stylus if the display is a touchscreen display, such as found on a smart phone or tablet computer,whereas if the display is coupled to or part of a desktop or laptopcomputer, the user may use a human interface device such as a mouse,trackball, or keyboard to select the enhanced cursor. The selectedenhanced cursor may then be moved onto the displayed content of interest(110). Consistent with some embodiments, the enhanced cursor may requireactivation before being permitted to move. In such embodiments, a usermay first press and hold the enhanced cursor to activate movement of theenhanced cursor. Once the enhanced cursor has been moved onto thedisplayed content of interest, the user can activate the enhanced cursorto perform the associated predefined action or actions. Activating theenhanced cursor may comprise tapping or clicking on the enhanced cursor,or, in some embodiments, double-tapping or double-clicking the enhancedcursor. Once the enhanced cursor has been activated, the predefined orassigned actions associated with the enhanced cursor are executed on thecontent (114). Consistent with some embodiments, after the predefined orassigned actions have been executed or performed by the enhanced cursor,the enhanced cursor may then return to an inactive state and/or mayreturn to its original location within the displayed content or on adock or toolbar.

Moreover, after the predefined or assigned actions have been executed orperformed by the enhanced cursor, the enhanced cursor can provideadditional functionality such as communicating the executed actions to asocial networking site such as Facebook™, Twitter™, or Google+™. Suchsocial networking communications may be configured in step 106 and maybe personalized such that the communications only occur when certainactions are performed, such as bidding on, or purchasing items onlineusing the enhanced cursor.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the use of an enhanced cursor ondisplayed content, consistent with some embodiments. To illustrate themethod described in FIG. 1, certain steps of the method described inFIG. 1 will be discussed in conjunction with FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 2,content 202 is displayed on a display 204 of a processing device 206.Consistent with some embodiments, processing device 206 may include anyappropriate combination of hardware and/or software having a processorand capable of reading instructions stored on a non-transitorymachine-readable medium for execution by the processor. Some commonforms of machine-readable media includes, for example, floppy disk,flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium,CD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any otherphysical medium with patterns of holes, RAM, PROM, EPROM, FLASH-EPROM,any other memory chip or cartridge, and/or any other medium from which aprocessor or computer is adapted to read. Further, processing device 206may be configured for wired and/or wireless communication over anetwork. According to some embodiments, processing device 206 may be amobile device, such as a mobile phone, a smart phone, or a tabletcomputer such as the Apple™ iPad™. According to other embodiments,processing device 206 may be a processing device such as a personalcomputer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or a notebook computer.

Consistent with some embodiments processing device 206 includes amachine-readable medium, such as a memory (not shown) that includesinstructions for execution by a processor (not shown) for causingprocessing device 206 to perform specific tasks. For example, suchinstructions may include a displaying content 202, such as the shown webpage, or other applications that display content 202 corresponding to atext document, a Microsoft® Word® document, or an Adobe® PDF® document.Further, content 202 may be content displayed by a particularapplication or “app” stored in a memory of processing device 206 andexecuted by a processor of processing device 206. For example, content202 may be a news web page, such as shown in FIG. 2, or content 202 maybe an online auction or transaction web page displayed by a web page orapplication.

Content 202 may also be a live or saved image captured by a cameracoupled to processing device 206 or stored in memory of processingdevice 206 that has been processed using optical character recognition(OCR). Consequently, a user may view an image and perform actions onportions of the image that can be recognized using OCR. For example,processing device may be a smart phone or tablet computer having anintegrated camera such that a user can use the camera to provide anaugmented reality and view the surrounding area and perform actions on,for example, the names of stores and restaurants that are displayed suchthat the user can search for additional information or reviews aboutthese stores and restaurants. In addition, enhanced cursor 208 mayfurther have a translate function such that if a user is in a foreigncountry with signs in languages that the user cannot read, the user canview the surrounding area using the camera of the processing device, anduse enhanced cursor 208 on selected signs to translate the signs into alanguage that the user can read.

As shown in FIG. 2, once an enhanced cursor 208 is enabled (102),enhanced cursor 208 is displayed (104) in a portion of display 204 whereno content is currently displayed so as not to obscure the displayedcontent. A user may then configure enhanced cursor 208 to assign actionsor change the shape of enhanced cursor 208 (106). For example, enhancedcursor 208 has been assigned a “search” function, and been configured tohave an elliptical shape. Consistent with some embodiments, thepredefined actions of enhanced cursor 208 may be selectable using adrop-down menu or simple selection of actions appearing upon selectionof enhanced cursor. Alternatively, the functionality and shape ofenhanced cursor 208 may correspond to a “default” configuration ofenhanced cursor 208. The user may then select enhanced cursor 208 (108)and move enhanced cursor 208 onto content of interest (110). As shown inFIG. 2, a user may want to search to find more about the displayedcontent of “Cincinnati title” and, thus, will move enhanced cursor 208onto that displayed content. The user would then activate enhancedcursor 208 (112) such that the assigned action of a search would beperformed on the displayed content within the enhanced cursor. Once theassigned action is performed, another window or screen, or tab forbrowsers and other content displaying programs that utilize tabbedbrowsing, would be displayed on display 204 showing the results of theassigned and executed action associated with enhanced cursor 208.

FIG. 3 is a flowchart illustrating a method of using an enhanced cursoron displayed content, consistent with some embodiments. FIG. 3 issimilar to FIG. 1, but adds an additional step wherein the subjectmatter of the displayed content is automatically detected by theexecuting instructions, program, application, or widget responsible forthe enhanced cursor, and automatically assigns actions to be associatedwith the enhanced cursor based on the detected subject matter. Forillustration purposes, the method illustrated in FIG. 3 will bediscussed in conjunction with the diagram shown in FIG. 2. As shown inFIG. 3, the method begins by enabling enhanced cursor 208 (302).Enhanced cursor 208 may be a separate program, application or “app”, ora widget, each of which may correspond to instructions stored in anon-transient, tangible memory for execution by a processor. Furtherenhanced cursor 208 may be an add-on to the existing functionality of arunning program, such as a word processor, text editor, or web browser,such that enhanced cursor 208 may be selectively enabled or disabled bya user. After enhanced cursor 208 has been enabled, instructionsassociated with enhanced cursor 208 are executed to detect a subjectmatter of content 202 displayed on display 204 of processing device 206(304). Consistent with some embodiments, the subject matter may bedetected from the type of program or application currently executing onprocessing device 206. Alternatively, the subject matter may be detectedby parsing the text of the displayed content 202 or by parsing thecontent 202 itself. Based on the detected subject matter, actions willbe automatically assigned to enhanced cursor 208 (306). For example, ifit is determined that the type of program or application currentlyexecuting is a web browser, enhanced cursor 208 may be automaticallyassigned a search function. Alternatively, if it is determined that thetype or program or application currently executing is a word processoror text editor, enhanced cursor 208 may be automatically assigned acopy/paste function. Moreover, if content 202 is parsed to determinethat an online auction site, such as provided by eBay, Inc. of San Jose,Calif., is currently being displayed, enhanced cursor 208 may beautomatically assigned a bid functionality or an auction searchfunctionality. Further, if content 202 is parsed to determine that atransaction is required concurrent with content 202, enhanced cursor maybe automatically assigned a payment functionality such as may beprovided by PayPal, Inc. of San Jose, Calif. As another example, content202 is detected as being a news website and, thus, enhanced cursor 208is assigned a search functionality. Consistent with other embodiments,enhanced cursor 208 may be assigned a particular color based on thedetected subject matter of content 202.

Returning to FIG. 3, enhanced cursor 208 is then displayed (308).Consistent with some embodiments, enhanced cursor 208 will be displayedwithin a viewable area of display 204. Further consistent with someembodiments, enhanced cursor 208 may be displayed within an area ofdisplay 204 so as not to obscure displayed content 202. Alternatively,enhanced cursor 208 may be displayed on a “dock” or “toolbar” of therunning application or the operating system to facilitate easy selectionby the user without obscuring displayed content 202. The user may nextselect enhanced cursor 208 (310). Enhanced cursor 208 may be selectedusing a finger or stylus if the display is a touch screen display, suchas found on a smart phone or tablet computer, whereas if the display iscoupled to or part of a desktop or laptop computer, the user may use ahuman interface device such as a mouse, trackball, or keyboard to selectthe enhanced cursor. The selected enhanced cursor 208 may then be movedonto the displayed content of interest (312) where the user may thenactivate enhanced cursor 208 (314). Consistent with some embodiments,activating enhanced cursor 208 may comprise tapping or clicking onenhanced cursor 208, or, in some embodiments, double-tapping ordouble-clicking enhanced cursor 208. Once enhanced cursor 208 has beenactivated, the predefined or assigned actions associated with enhancedcursor 208 are executed on content 202 (316). Consistent with someembodiments, after the predefined or assigned actions have been executedor performed by enhanced cursor 208, enhanced cursor 208 may then returnto an inactive state and/or may return to its original location withindisplayed content 202 or on a dock or toolbar.

FIG. 4 is a flowchart illustrating a method of using of an enhancedcursor on displayed content, consistent with some embodiments. FIG. 4 issimilar to FIGS. 1 and 3, but adds additional steps for configuringenhanced cursor 208. Consistent with some embodiments, the methodillustrated in FIG. 4 may correspond to the configuration step 106 shownin FIG. 1. Alternatively, the method shown in FIG. 4 may be integratedwith the method shown in FIG. 3 such that enhanced cursor 208 that isautomatically assigned actions based on the detected subject matter ofthe content can also be configured. For illustration purposes, themethod illustrated in FIG. 4 will be discussed in conjunction with thediagram shown in FIG. 2. As shown in FIG. 4, the method begins byenabling enhanced cursor 208 (402). Enhanced cursor 208 may be aseparate program, application or “app”, or a widget, each of which maycorrespond to instructions stored in a non-transient, tangible memoryfor execution by a processor. Further enhanced cursor 208 may be anadd-on to the existing functionality of a running program, such as aword processor, text editor, or web browser, such that the enhancedcursor may be selectively enabled or disabled by a user. The user maynext select enhanced cursor 208 (404). Enhanced cursor 208 may beselected using a finger or stylus if the display is a touch screendisplay, such as found on a smart phone or tablet computer, whereas ifthe display is coupled to or part of a desktop or laptop computer, theuser may use a human interface device such as a mouse, trackball, orkeyboard to select the enhanced cursor.

A user may then enter a configuration menu for configuring enhancedcursor 208 (406). Within configuration menu, a user may assign an actionfor enhanced cursor 208 (408). The assigned actions may include aninternet search, a text search, copy/paste functionality, searching for,buying, or bidding on purchasable items, or paying for purchased items.The user may then assign additional parameters related to the assignedaction (410). Such additional parameters may include a specific searchengine, parameters related to displaying the results of the executedaction (i.e., such as display in a separate tab, window, pop-up window,etc.). The additional parameters may also include a secondary action, oreven a series of actions assigned to enhanced cursor 208. Assigning asecondary action or a series of actions to enhanced cursor allows a userto chain actions together to be performed together. For example, a usermay configure enhanced cursor 208 to have a copy action and then assigna secondary paste action. Once the user activates enhanced cursor 208 toexecute the copy action, enhanced cursor now switches to the secondaryaction so that the user can activate enhanced cursor 208 to execute apaste action. Another example would be an enhanced cursor having an eBaysearch function and a secondary action of a PayPal function. Once theuser has executed the eBay search function using enhanced cursor 208,the user can then execute the PayPal action using enhanced cursor 208 topay for and purchase goods returned by the executed eBay searchfunction.

A user may then select the appearance of enhanced cursor 208 (412),allowing the user to personalize and further enhance their interactionwith content 202. For example, a user may choose enhanced cursor 208 tobe ball-shaped based on their favorite sport, and may further configureenhanced cursor 208 to display a user-defined news or scores from aReally Simple Syndication (RSS) feed associated with their favoritesport or favorite team. Moreover, enhanced cursor 208 may be furtherconfigured to perform actions on the screen when not in use. One examplewould be a ball-shaped enhanced cursor bouncing or rolling around on thescreen. A user may also choose enhanced cursor 208 to appear as a clockthat displays the current time. Further, a user may choose enhancedcursor 208 to take the appearance of the user's online avatar or anyother image or picture of the user's choosing. The user may furthercustomize enhanced cursor 208 to automatically communicate informationrelated to the executed actions to social networking sites of the user'schoosing, with language chosen by the user.

Once the appearance of enhanced cursor 208 has been selected, the usermay exit the enhanced cursor configuration menu (414). Enhanced cursor208 may then be moved onto the displayed content of interest (416) andthe predefined or assigned actions associated with enhanced cursor 208are executed on content 202 (418). Consistent with some embodiments,after the predefined or assigned actions have been executed or performedby enhanced cursor 208, enhanced cursor 208 may then return to aninactive state and/or may return to its original location withindisplayed content 202 or on a dock or toolbar.

FIG. 5 is a flowchart illustrating a method for enhancing userinteraction with displayed content using an enhanced cursor palette,consistent with some embodiments. The method illustrated in FIG. 5 issimilar to methods illustrated in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, but instead of asingle enhanced cursor, allows a user to choose one or more enhancedcursors from a palette of enhanced cursors. As shown in FIG. 5, themethod begins by enabling the enhanced cursor palette (502). Theenhanced cursor palette may be a separate program, application or “app”,or a widget, each of which may correspond to instructions stored in anon-transient, tangible memory for execution by a processor. Further theenhanced cursor palette may be an add-on to the existing functionalityof a running program, such as a word processor, text editor, or webbrowser, such that the enhanced cursor palette may be selectivelyenabled or disabled by a user. After the enhanced cursor palette hasbeen enabled, the enhanced cursor palette will be displayed (504).Consistent with some embodiments, the enhanced cursor palette will bedisplayed within a viewable area of the display. Further consistent withsome embodiments, the enhanced cursor palette may be displayed within anarea of the display so as not to obscure the displayed content. Theenhanced cursor palette may also be translucent to further preventobscuring the displayed content. Alternatively, the enhanced cursorpalette may be displayed on a “dock” or “toolbar” of the runningapplication or the operating system to facilitate easy selection by theuser without obscuring the displayed content.

A user may have the ability to configure the enhanced cursors displayedin the enhanced cursor palette consistent with the method described inFIG. 4. Alternatively, the enhanced cursors in the enhanced cursorpalette may be automatically configured consistent with the methodillustrated in FIG. 3. Returning to FIG. 5, the user may next select atleast one enhanced cursor from the enhanced cursor palette (506). Theenhanced cursor may be selected from the enhanced cursor palette using afinger or stylus if the display is a touch screen display, such as foundon a smart phone or tablet computer, whereas if the display is coupledto or part of a desktop or laptop computer, the user may use a humaninterface device such as a mouse, trackball, or keyboard to select theenhanced cursor from the enhanced cursor palette. The selected enhancedcursor may then be moved onto the displayed content of interest (508)where the user may then activate the enhanced cursor (510). Consistentwith some embodiments, activating the enhanced cursor may comprisetapping or clicking on the enhanced cursor, or, in some embodiments,double-tapping or double-clicking the enhanced cursor. Once the enhancedcursor has been activated, the predefined or assigned actions associatedwith the enhanced cursor are executed on the content (512). Consistentwith some embodiments, after the predefined or assigned actions havebeen executed or performed by the enhanced cursor, the enhanced cursormay then return to an inactive state and/or may return to its originallocation within palette.

FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating the use of an enhanced cursor paletteon displayed content, consistent with some embodiments. To illustratethe method described in FIG. 6, certain steps of the method described inFIG. 5 will be discussed in conjunction with FIG. 6. As shown in FIG. 6,content 602 is displayed on a display 604 of a processing device 606.Consistent with some embodiments, processing device 606 may include anyappropriate combination of hardware and/or software having a processorand capable of reading instructions stored on a non-transitorymachine-readable medium for execution by the processor. Some commonforms of machine-readable media includes, for example, floppy disk,flexible disk, hard disk, magnetic tape, any other magnetic medium,CD-ROM, any other optical medium, punch cards, paper tape, any otherphysical medium with patterns of holes, RAM, PROM, EPROM, FLASH-EPROM,any other memory chip or cartridge, and/or any other medium from which aprocessor or computer is adapted to read. Further, processing device 606may be configured for wired and/or wireless communication over anetwork. According to some embodiments, processing device 606 may be amobile device, such as a mobile phone, a smart phone, or touchscreendevice such as a tablet computer like the Apple™ iPad™. According toother embodiments, processing device 606 may be a processing device suchas a personal computer, a personal digital assistant (PDA), or anotebook computer.

Consistent with some embodiments processing device 606 includes amachine-readable medium, such as a memory (not shown) that includesinstructions for execution by a processor (not shown) for causingprocessing device 606 to perform specific tasks. For example, suchinstructions may include a displaying content 602, such as the shown webpage, or other applications that display content 602 corresponding to atext document, a Microsoft® Word® document, or an Adobe® PDF® document.Further, content 602 may be content displayed by a particularapplication or “app” stored in a memory of processing device 606 andexecuted by a processor of processing device 606. For example, content602 may be a news website, such as shown in FIG. 6, or content 602 maybe an online auction or transaction web page displayed by a web page orapplication.

Content 602 may also be a live or saved image captured by a cameracoupled to processing device 606 or stored in memory of processingdevice 606 that has been processed using optical character recognition(OCR). Consequently, a user may view an image and perform actions onportions of the image that can be recognized using OCR. For example,processing device may be a smart phone or tablet computer having anintegrated camera such that a user can use the camera to provide anaugmented reality and view the surrounding area and perform actions on,for example, the names of stores and restaurants that are displayed suchthat the user can search for additional information or reviews aboutthese stores and restaurants. In addition, enhanced cursor palette 608may further have a translation enhanced cursor such that if a user is ina foreign country with signs in languages that the user cannot read, theuser can view the surrounding area using the camera of the processingdevice, and select the translate enhanced cursor from enhanced cursorpalette 608 to use on selected signs to translate the signs into alanguage that the user can read.

As shown in FIG. 6, once an enhanced cursor palette 608 is enabled(502), enhanced cursor palette 608 is displayed (504) near content 602.For example, enhanced cursor palette 608 may be displayed in a dockabove content 602, as shown in FIG. 6. The user may then select anenhanced cursor 610 from enhanced cursor palette 608 (506) and move theselected enhanced cursor 610 onto content of interest (508). As shown inFIG. 6, a user may want to search eBay for merchandise related to eitherthe Manchester or Tottenham football (soccer) clubs and, thus, will moveenhanced cursor 610 onto that displayed content. The user would thenactivate the selected enhanced cursor 610 (510) such that the assignedaction of a searching eBay would be performed on the displayed contentwithin the selected enhanced cursor 610. Once the assigned action isperformed, another window or screen would be displayed on display 604showing the results of the assigned and executed action associated withthe selected enhanced cursor 610. Consistent with other embodiments, asuser may select additional enhanced cursors from palette 608 to performmultiple actions on content 602 in parallel. For example, user mayperform an eBay search using enhanced cursor 610 and also a web searchon the same or different displayed content using the search enhancedcursor from cursor palette 608.

Consistent with other embodiments, a user may select displayed content612 and either copy/paste content 612 or drag/drop content 612 into oneof the enhanced cursors displayed in enhanced cursor palette 608. Forexample, a user wanting to know more about “Canada's left-leaning NDP”could select that text and drag/drop or copy/paste the text into thesearch enhanced cursor displayed in enhanced cursor palette 608. A newwindow, screen, or tab would then be displayed showing the searchresults for the selected text.

Moreover, after the predefined or assigned actions have been executed orperformed by the enhanced cursor, the enhanced cursor can provideadditional functionality such as communicating the executed actions to asocial networking site such as Facebook™, Twitter™, or Google+™. Suchsocial networking communications may be configured in step 106 and maybe personalized such that the communications only occur when certainactions are performed, such as bidding on, or purchasing items onlineusing the enhanced cursor. For example, after searching eBay formerchandise related to either the Manchester or Tottenham footballclubs, the user may purchase a jersey using the PayPal enhanced cursorfrom enhanced cursor palette 608. After the purchase has been completed,the enhanced cursor could be configured to post a tweet or status updatestating “USER just purchased a signed #10 jersey from eBay™ SELLER usingPayPal™.” The language of the social networking message may be fullyconfigurable by the user, and could be configured in accordance withFIG. 4.

In addition to the embodiments described above, enhanced cursor 208 (ora palette 608 of enhanced cursors 610) may be integrated in additionalplatforms. For example, enhanced cursor 208 may be integrated intogaming consoles, such as the Nintendo Wii, Microsoft XBOX360, or theSony Playstation 3. In such integrations, enhanced cursor 208 may beused to execute a predefined action on content displayed by the gamingconsole in the same way as on processing device 206 or 606, describedabove. Similarly, enhanced cursor 208 may utilized to execute apredefined action on content displayed by a digital set-top box (STB)such as provided by a cable or satellite television provider. Enhancedcursor 208 may also be used along with mapping websites, softwareprograms, or applications, wherein the one or more predetermined actionsof enhanced cursor 208 can correspond to obtaining a current location(if used in a Global Positioning System (GPS)-enabled device), orobtaining driving directions to a highlighted displayed location.

Enhanced cursor 208 may also be configured to work with additional APIsprovided by PayPal, Inc. and eBay Inc., of San Jose, Calif. Suchadditional APIs may include, but not be limited to the “Flick” API,which allows a user to perform a flicking or sliding motion on a touchscreen device to perform an action. Using the “Flick” API, enhancedcursor 208 could be configured to perform a desired action on desiredcontent in response to a flick, swipe, or slide of the enhanced cursoron or to desired content. Consistent with some embodiments, the flick,swipe, or slide of enhanced cursor 208 on or to desired content couldcause an action on desired content wherein the result of the action istransmitted to another device. For example, enhanced cursor 208 may beconfigured to perform an eBay search and the “Flick” API may beconfigured to display content on a secondary device, such as aninternet-enabled television. Thus, when enhanced cursor 208 is moved onto the desired content and enhanced cursor 208 is flicked, the resultsof the eBay search could be displayed on the internet-enabledtelevision. Enhanced cursor 208 may also be configured to work withadditional third-party APIs, such as APIs to perform predeterminedactions corresponding to the third party or the third party's business.This may include third party APIs designed for integration with socialmedia sites or for integrating one or more people such that selectedpeople can be notified about a user's actions performed using enhancedcursor 208.

Software, in accordance with the present disclosure, such as programcode and/or data, may be stored on one or more machine-readable mediums,including non-transitory machine-readable medium. It is alsocontemplated that software identified herein may be implemented usingone or more general purpose or specific purpose computers and/orcomputer systems, networked and/or otherwise. Where applicable, theordering of various steps described herein may be changed, combined intocomposite steps, and/or separated into sub-steps to provide featuresdescribed herein.

Consequently, embodiments as described herein may provide an enhancedcursor-like content selection area, or Smart Spot, that enhances userinteraction with displayed content by allowing a user to performassigned or predefined actions on the displayed content simply by movingthe enhanced cursor onto the displayed content and activating theenhanced cursor. The examples provided above are exemplary only and arenot intended to be limiting. One skilled in the art may readily deviseother systems consistent with the disclosed embodiments which areintended to be within the scope of this disclosure. As such, theapplication is limited only by the following claims.

1. (canceled)
 2. An enhanced cursor system comprising: a non-transitorymemory; and one or more hardware processors coupled to thenon-transitory memory and configured to read instructions from thenon-transitory memory to cause the system to perform operationscomprising: receiving a first user input for moving an enhanced cursorfrom a first area of a user interface of a user device to a second areaof the user interface; automatically executing a first action based onthe second area of the user interface; receiving a second user input formoving the enhanced cursor from the second area to a third area of theuser interface; and automatically executing a second action differentfrom the first action based at least in part on the third area of theuser interface.
 3. The enhanced cursor system of claim 2, wherein theoperations further comprise: detecting a request for activating theenhanced cursor on a user device; and in response to the detecting,causing the enhanced cursor to be displayed at the first area of theuser interface.
 4. The enhanced cursor system of claim 3, wherein theoperations further comprise selecting the first area for displaying theenhanced cursor based on determining that no visual content is displayedwithin the first area of the user interface.
 5. The enhanced cursorsystem of claim 2, wherein the operations further comprise: determininga subject matter of data presented on the user interface; and selecting,from a plurality of available actions, the first action and the secondaction, for the enhanced cursor based on the subject matter.
 6. Theenhanced cursor system of claim 2, wherein the operations furthercomprise: assigning the first action to the enhanced cursor; and inresponse to executing the first action, assigning the second action tothe enhanced cursor.
 7. The enhanced cursor system of claim 2, whereinthe operations further comprise determining content displayed on thesecond area of the user interface, wherein the first action is executedbased on the content.
 8. The enhanced cursor system of claim 7, whereinthe first action comprises copying the content displayed on the secondarea, and wherein the second action comprises pasting the content at thethird area of the user interface.
 9. The enhanced cursor system of claim7, wherein the first action comprises querying a database based on thecontent to generate a set of results, and wherein the second actioncomprises performing a transaction based on a result displayed withinthe third area of the user interface.
 10. A method, comprising:detecting, by one or more hardware processors, a request for activatingan enhanced cursor functionality; in response to the detecting,assigning, by the one or more hardware processors, a first action to acursor of a user interface of a device; executing, by the one or morehardware processors, the first action based on a first location of thecursor on the user interface; in response to executing the first action,assigning, by the one or more hardware processors, a second actiondifferent from the first action to the cursor; and executing, by the oneor more hardware processors, the second action based on a secondlocation of the cursor on the user interface.
 11. The method of claim10, further comprising in response to detecting the request, causing thecursor to be displayed at an initial area of the user interface.
 12. Themethod of claim 10, further comprising determining visual contentassociated with the first location of the user interface, wherein thefirst action is executed further based on the visual content.
 13. Themethod of claim 12, wherein the visual content includes an item, whereinthe first action comprises querying a database to generate a set ofmerchants that offer the item for sale, and wherein the second actioncomprises performing a purchase transaction associated with the itemfrom one of the set of merchants.
 14. The method of claim 12, whereinthe first action comprises copying the visual content, and wherein thesecond action comprises pasting the visual content at the secondlocation of the user interface.
 15. The method of claim 10, furthercomprising determining a type of content presented on the userinterface, wherein the first action and the second action are assignedto the cursor based on the type.
 16. A non-transitory machine-readablemedium having stored thereon machine-readable instructions executable tocause a machine to perform operations comprising: receiving a first userinput for moving an enhanced cursor from a first area of a userinterface of a user device to a second area of the user interface;automatically executing a first action based on the second area of theuser interface; receiving a second user input for moving the enhancedcursor from the second area to a third area of the user interface; andautomatically executing a second action different from the first actionbased at least in part on the third area of the user interface.
 17. Thenon-transitory machine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein theoperations further comprise: detecting a request for activating theenhanced cursor on a user device; and in response to the detecting,causing the enhanced cursor to be displayed at the first area of theuser interface.
 18. The non-transitory machine-readable medium of claim16, wherein the operations further comprise: determining a type ofcontent presented on the user interface; and selecting, from a pluralityof available actions, the first action and the second action, for theenhanced cursor based on the type.
 19. The non-transitorymachine-readable medium of claim 16, wherein the operations furthercomprise: assigning the first action to the enhanced cursor; and inresponse to executing the first action, assigning the second action tothe enhanced cursor.
 20. The non-transitory machine-readable medium ofclaim 16, wherein the operations further comprise determining contentdisplayed on the second area of the user interface, wherein the firstaction is executed based on the content.
 21. The non-transitorymachine-readable medium of claim 20, wherein the first action comprisescopying the content displayed on the second area, and wherein the secondaction comprises pasting the content at the third area of the userinterface.